Page 10 of Broken Lands

Not sure how I’d do that, I pushed to my feet anyway, my head throbbing where I had smacked it against the tree. On instinct, I reached up to touch the wound, finding my hair matted with blood, a trickle running down my neck.

Wobbling on my feet, I took a step forward. Then another, my limbs shaking with the effort as my body tried to get its bearings and fight the fear constricting the breath in my lungs.

I needed to get to Stefan, to help my friend and do what I could to make sure the fae, whose soul mine seemed to know, was safe. Clenching my teeth, I willed my body to listen, to stay upright, but I tripped over my own feet, collapsing back onto the forest floor on my hands and knees.

A deep voice shouted my name from afar, and I lifted my head to see the rest of our party returning to the clearing, General Brand leading the way. Muttering a curse, my knees buckled, and I fell against the floor beneath me in relief. The General muttered directions at the others, directing them to help Stefan, seconds before I felt him sink to his knees by my side.

Large hands gripped my chin, turning my face to look at him. His brow creased in concern as his gaze scraped over me, assessing my injuries, lingering on the blood trickling from my head wound.

“What happened, Riley? Why did you leave the carriage?” He asked, tempering his tone. There was anger there, and a sense of something else… protectiveness? That couldn’t be right? I must have hit my head harder than I thought.

“Annie was hurt, I could hear her pain. Felt it. I couldn’t keep hiding knowing she needed help, and I was right there!” My voice was little more than a whisper, my skull throbbing, the pain keeping me from explaining any further.

General Brand’s jaw was tight, his lips pressed into a thin line as he inspected my head. He must have decided not to push me any further for the moment. I was sure the questions would come, though; he didn’t seem like the type to just let it drop. I’d defied his orders to keep me safe. I was in for a grilling.

For now, though, I was lucky to be holding on to consciousness. My vision was blurring, black spots dancing across the General’s face as I looked up at him.

“I’m going to heal your head, Riley. Can you turn your face the other way and keep still for me?” I nodded slightly, grimacing as a sharp pain lanced through my head at the movement. He helped me turn my head, cupping it in one of his large hands, his hold much gentler than I had imagined him capable of. He placed his other hand above the wound.

A gentle warmth spread across the side of my head, surrounding the injury, and after a few moments my vision cleared, the pain lessening. Stefan, Professor Darmon, and the rest of our party were in the center of the clearing, still fighting our attackers. One of the guards was standing behind the General, watching out for us as he focused on healing me.

He should be out there. Fighting with his men. Not here with me.

“Go, help them. I can wait.”

“No.” His tone was clear, firm, no room for argument.

The two men who’d attempted to take me had been joined by more of their people, and we were looking seriously outnumbered. Stefan was a machine, though, and as I watched him cut down two of the black-clad men in one complicated move, I felt confident we might make it out.

My vision cleared completely, the persistent pounding in my skull easing, as General Brand continued to heal me. It hadn’t escaped my attention that as the General he was probably a better fighter than the rest of our party. He really should be out there. Instead, he’d run directly to me. Why? What was that about?

“Please. Go.” I urged him, trying to pull free from his hold. His grip tightened around my jaw, not enough to hurt, but enough to let me know he’d be having none of this.

“They’ll be fine. You, on the other hand, are not healed yet. Stay still.” He growled at me, forcing me to lie back. I hated lying here, watching the others fight, and not doing anything to help. Not that I could do much anyway if I were being honest with myself.

Slowly, we gained the upper hand. Stefan cut down the last attacker in a blur of limbs. What type of weapon did he have? I’d have to ask him, ask him to teach me to move like that. Our men fell back, scanning the area as they made their way to where General Brand was still working to heal my head.

Professor Darmon was the first to reach us, followed closely by Stefan. The coachmen immediately went to the horses, one heading to the gray dappled mare, still harnessed to the carriage, the other heading to Annie. She had made her way to the side of the clearing and had seemed to watch as General Brand worked his healing magic into me.

“I think that’s all of them,” Stefan said, his breathing labored as he fought to catch his breath. “They wanted Riley.” His gaze narrowed in on me, like he was trying to figure out what it was they wanted.

General Brand cleared his throat, pulling his hands away from my face and helping me sit up. “I’ve done what I can, your body will continue to heal you at its regular pace, and you will need to rest as much as possible once we return to the city,” wiping his bloodied hands on his pants, he stood to his full height, his large figure towering over me. “I’m only going to ask you this once and I expect you to be completely honest with me. Do you have any ties to The Resistance?” His eyes were hard as he waited for my response.

A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed against the flicker of hurt in my chest that his accusation bought. His question was fair. He didn’t know me. Didn’t know if he could trust me. I didn’t know why that mistrust pained me.

“No, I don’t.” I shot at him, crossing my hands across my chest. I might not love the fae, or hold a very high opinion of them, but I wasn’t radical. Yeah, I might be hiding my true intentions from them, but I wasn’t going to hurt anybody. Unless they’d hurt my brother—then I might get a little stabby.

Some of this must have shown on my face, and Stefan snorted. “Your face just got all murdery, little dove. Not the best way to convince the Army General you aren’t a threat.” He clapped Brand on the shoulder before offering a hand to help me up. “You are going to be trouble.” He predicted, putting his arm around my waist to support me as he led us back to the carriage.

Scoffing at this assessment, General Brand followed as we crossed the clearing. He must have believed there was some truth to my words to let it drop. Something in my chest loosened.

As we walked, I could see the second coachman leading Annie back to the carriage. She was no longer actively bleeding, and I assumed he had used his own magic to heal her. She was no longer in pain, though how it was possible for me to know that was beyond me.

“Do all fae have the ability to heal?” I asked Stefan, my curiosity getting the better of me.

“Yes. Healing is magic that all Fae draw from the origin. It is one of the first things taught at the Academy, but that’s because it takes a long time to master. Magic drawn from the origin is more advanced than accessing our elements.”

That was interesting. I hadn’t completed my schooling, meaning I had little knowledge of the fae and their abilities. I had always felt indifferent, if not resentful, toward them. Humans were isolated from their kind. Our worlds didn’t mesh, and that was by their design. I hadn’t really felt it necessary to know more.

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